


Staying the Course

by Annwyn



Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: Domestic, Established Relationship, Golf Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-07
Updated: 2010-02-07
Packaged: 2017-10-07 02:30:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annwyn/pseuds/Annwyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's always better to share your partner's enthusiasms. None of that 'You have your life and I have mine' crap. Elijah thinks so too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Staying the Course

**Author's Note:**

> When you need 5 shots/strokes to get the ball in the hole (a par 5) and you hit three and make it, you have an eagle--very rare bird. When you need 3 shots (a par 3) and hole it with one, you've made an eagle and a hole-in-one. Otherwise, I've cut the golf jargon down.

"This is the last tee-off time, right?"

"That's right, Mr. Astin. You've got about two hours before it's too dark to see the ball. D'you want it?" The pro-shop clerk poised his pen over the ledger expectantly.

"We'll take it. He's a beginner and we don't want to hold anyone up." He signed the chit and smiled. "We'll play only nine holes - don't want to put him off the game, eh?"

"Mr. Astin, if you're teaching him, he's in good hands. Have fun, okay?"

"We will. Thanks."

****

"Remind me again why I'm doing this, Seanie."

Elijah eyed the undulating fairway with trepidation. The flag seemed impossibly far away. The old-growth trees lining the course seemed to mock him, waiting for the chance to swallow his ball into their dark green maws.

"We want to play together when we go on holiday, don't we? You said you didn't want to be a 'golf widow-er', remember?" Sean lifted his club above his head and stretched, limbering up, breathing deeply. "Can you think of a better way to spend an afternoon?"

Elijah ran his eyes down Sean's clean length, paying special attention to the ripple of muscle under the smooth golden skin. His cock stirred fitfully. "You bet I can," he muttered under his breath.

"Come on, you. Start warming up." Sean's eyes glowed amber in the sun. "It's good for you. Exercise - getting close to nature - you don't spend enough time in the fresh air."

"Had enough nature in New Zealand to last me a lifetime." Elijah pouted. He clapped his hand to his mouth, eyes wide in mock contrition. "I'm whining, aren't I. Sorry, Sean. I'll behave."

"You'd better - or I'll turn you over my knee and spank you." Sean laughed. "And don't look at me like that - you wanker! We've got to concentrate, Lij. Remember your lessons, okay? Let's play ball."

****

Walk, walk and then walk some more. Swipe at the ball, curse and walk again.

"Take a mulligan, Lij."

"A what?"

"Just tee up another ball and hit again. We've got lots of time."

_Thwack_

"This isn't fucking golf! It's fucking croquet!"

"Keep your eyes on the ball until after you hit it." Sean walked over to stand in front of him. "Here - try again." He lifted his club by the blade and laid the grip against the left side of Elijah's head. "Now hit. Mind you don't move your head."

"Fuck."

"No, no - that was good. You kept your eyes on the ball. See? It went straight this time."

"That's it? Didn't go far, did it." Elijah's face darkened with disappointment. "Thought I was stronger than that!"

"You didn't use your body, love. You've got to shift your weight from your right foot to your left. That's how you get distance. Here, let me show you."

Sean moved to stand behind him, his hands on Elijah's arms,their bodies moulded together from shoulders to knees. "Okay - bend from the hips, push your ass out and relax." Sean's breath warmed Elijah's neck, and he felt tendrils of heat radiate from the spot. "Now swing - turn your shoulders, yes - now back - slowly - follow my weight-shift - yes! Got it?"

"Mmmm---" Elijah tilted his head back and half-turned, capturing Sean's mouth in a greedy kiss and wriggling his ass provocatively.

"No, Sean. I didn't. Can we do it again?"

Sean's hands clamped down on Elijah's hips, stilling him, then pushed him away gently. "You're a terrible tease, Ringboy. Now come on - light's going soon. Don't forget the weight shift, okay? Practice - and your body will remember."

He watched as Sean took a practice swing. He loved the fluid grace of him - loved the mastery he had over his body. He moved all of a piece, music in motion - and Elijah ached to play him.

_Your body will remember_.

_His skin remembered - the tingling warmth of Sean's hand splayed across his belly; anchoring him, claiming him. When Sean was gone, filming in Vancouver - oh god, how his skin missed him. Grabbing a pen in the dark, tracing the warmth, imprisoning it. Looking into the mirror in the morning, seeing the perfect imprint of Sean on his skin._

_His lips remembered - the slight overbite that Sean was so self-conscious about - the way their lips fit just so. His tongue remembered the taste of Sean's mouth. The wet heat and the honeyed sweetness of him._

_His nose remembered - sweat and sun overlaying clean masculine smell. He always slept on Sean's side of the bed when Sean was gone. Didn't change the sheets. Sean's scent wrapped him in love, in security. It kept the nightmares at bay._

_His hands remembered - luxurious flesh, warm and alive. All the different textures of Sean's body. The thick soft hair, the stubbly scratchiness, the jut of bone, the firmness of muscle - and the silken slide of skin._

_His_ \- fuck. Where'd the ball go?

"You sliced it into the trees, Lij. We'll find it - it didn't go far." Sean turned to him, eyebrows raised. "Relax, will you? You're too tense - it's just a game, okay?"

Elijah trudged after him, discouraged. He had so wanted to share Sean's enthusiasm for golf, longed to discover why Sean loved it so much. He had wanted to be able to listen intelligently when his partner got home after a good round, afire with pride and success. He still cringed when he remembered that time...

"Lij! I did it! An eagle on a par 5!" Sean burst through the door, eyes shining, fists raised in self-congratulation. "I was paired with a pro - and I beat his score!"

"Uh - great, Seanie! Um - is that better than a - um - hole in one? " Sean had laughed at him, but Elijah had seen the flicker of disappointment in his eyes.

Golf was the only part of Sean's life he couldn't share. When Sean went there, he couldn't follow. And he wanted to - so bad he could taste the acrid tang of wanting it.

****

He found his ball in a tiny clearing ringed about by pines, not far from the fairway. The air was still in here, cool and moist with the scent of evergreen sap, and sounds seemed muffled and far away. The damned thing cowered under a tangle of brush and he reached in with his club to knock it out.

"Rule number one, Elijah. Play the ball where it lies." Sean was right behind him, back in lecturing mode. Elijah spun around in disbelief - and Sean laughed at the expression on his face.

"You ----"

The club slammed into the ground and Sean found himself shoved hard against a tree. Eyes of incandescent blue bored into him, swimming with tears of pent-up frustration.

"Don't." Elijah panted. "Fucking. Do. That."

Sean stared at him in fascination. This was something he didn't often see. A furious Elijah was magnificent. Energy crackled about him - sparks flared in his eyes, spots of hectic color rode his cheeks. Sean felt his cock swell, felt totally, incredibly aroused. He took a step forward and wrapped his arms around Elijah, pinioning him, crushing his mouth against the taut lips. Twisting deftly, he pinned the struggling young man to the tree, his mouth moving, sucking, his tongue sweeping across the clenched teeth. Slowly the lips began to soften, to respond.

Elijah felt rough bark against his back and wondered dazedly how he'd gotten there. The anger and tension drained out of him at the feel of Sean's hardness against his thigh and his mouth opened to Sean's insistent tongue. A warm hand cupped his throbbing crotch and he tore his mouth away with a whimper.

"Sean, please - uhhhfuck - I need -" he pushed down on Sean's shoulders insistently and Sean sank to his knees on the mat of fallen needles. Elijah's cock remembered Sean's lips and it lifted into the cool air eagerly. His lover kissed the rosy head and took it in, suckling gently, tongue flickering. Elijah moaned as Sean took him deeper, into hot, wet silk, restless tongue in perpetual motion. His fingers spasmed in Sean's hair as warm hands cupped his aching balls and he screamed into the still green air, arched against unyielding wood, and pumped his whole being into Sean's pulsing throat.

Elijah felt his knees give and slid down the trunk into Sean's arms, gasping for breath. He shuddered against Sean's chest and felt loving hands stroke his sore back, gentle fingers combing though his hair.

"Jesus, Elijah. You should let go more often - d'you know how fantastic you look when you're mad?" Sean nuzzled the soft hair against his cheek.

Elijah shook his head in quick protest. "No - Seanie. Not at you - I couldn't. I was just so frustrated, you know? I've never had any trouble learning anything - until now. Why? Why is golf so hard for me to learn?"

"You just started, Elijah. Give yourself time. Just don't give up, okay? You'll learn to love it - you will!" at his lover's skeptical look. "And I really enjoyed this afternoon - playing with you makes it even better, somehow." He gave Elijah an apologetic kiss. "I'm sorry, love. I didn't know you were taking this so seriously. I shouldn't have teased you."

"'s okay, Seanie. I shouldn't have lost my temper either. Like you said, it's just a game."

"A game you're trying just for me," Sean said tenderly. "God - I love you, Elwood."

They raised their heads at the electric whine of an approaching cart. "Shit - it's the course marshal." Sean gathered up the discarded clubs quickly. The sky had turned a soft violet and a froggy chorus filled the air. "Let's get this over with - only one more hole to go."

Elijah stood over the ball, hefting his driver. He felt relaxed, boneless. _Stupid game_, he thought, almost fondly, and swung. He didn't even try to follow the ball - just expected more of the same incompetence. Sean's delighted shout brought his head up with a jerk and his jaw dropped in surprise. The tiny white sphere described a perfect arc against the rosy sky, flying straight for the distant flag. It hit the green, bounced twice, and stopped - a foot from the cup.

"Perfect! Ohmigod - 200 fucking yards! You did it Lijah - you did it!" Sean grabbed him and whirled him around, chortling madly.

Elijah shook his head, dazed. "If that's what it takes -" he grinned suddenly. "Astin - you do realize, don't you? You'll have to blow me before every hole!"

Instead of replying, Sean dug into his pocket and came up with the rulebook he was never without. He ran a finger down the page and looked up. "Don't see any rule against it," he said with a teasing grin. "I warn you, though. Turn and turn about is fair play, yes? And I'm not carrying you the last nine holes, mind."

Elijah's shout of laughter startled the ducks in a nearby pond, and the whirring of wings filled the air as their lips and bodies met. He sighed contentedly against Sean's mouth and thought that perhaps you needed to let go of ambition, needed to stop trying so hard - 'cause if you did, you'd enjoy the learning more.

****

"Well, love? Where to? D'you fancy some dinner?"

"Let's go home, Seanie, and order out." Elijah placed his hand over Sean's on the gearshift and laced their fingers together.

"Tired?" Sean turned his head to look at him, concerned.

"Not a bit." Elijah replied, a wicked glint in his eyes. "I seem to remember that we only played nine holes. I wanna play some more - and I think someone will be lucky enough to make a hole-in-one tonight, hmmm?"

Sean flushed, and his eyes went hot and emerald. He licked his lips and whispered,

"Home it is."


End file.
